Ruapehu College athlete has Olympic potential

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 511, 9 November 1993, Page 4

Ruapehu College athlete has Olympic potential

BY,

JENELLE

FREWEN

A rising star on the running scene is Waiouru's own Charmian Oh. Charmian is a 14year old fourth former from Ruapehu College who has the opportunity next month to compete in both the New Zealand and Australian Secondary Schools Championships. Charmian was impressive in her debut championships, taking home a silver medal in the junior division 200m sprint at the North Island schools competition. Her coach, Mr Alec McNab from Wanganui, is very excited about Charmian' s potential and considers her to be one of the best sprint prospects he has come across in the Wanganui district. Mr McNab is the co-ordina-tor of the Emerging Talent Squad for Athletics New Zealand. Charmian trains every day of the week including during her lunch hour at school and manages to successfully juggle athletics, school work and a part-timejob. So new is Charmian to sprinting that she had to borrow spikes, and had never started from blocks when she took the second place in the North Island school competition. She wore several pairs of socks on the day as the running shoes were far too big. Charmian attends regular meets in Wanganui to develop her running but is so talented

that in the past she has competed in the 16 and under boys competition to get a serious challenge. Money is the biggest problem that Charmian faces at the moment and she is currently seeking donations and sponsorship from the community to help finance her forthcoming trip to Australia. Charmian needs to raise at least $2000 before the start of December to pay for all her travel and expenses and has so far received donations from the Ohakune Lions Club,

the Ruapehu College Board of Trustees and the Waimarino Community Sports Fund. Money has also been sought in Waiouru from the army messes and Charmian will be selling raffle tickets door to door in the next couple of weeks to raise the required amount. The 'adopt and athlete' scheme is also available for potential sponsors which requires organisations to contribute $220 and in return Charmian will wear their name on her uniform.